The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1887-04-02

alarm came into Ailsa's sweet face, and
she asked, hastily:
"Why, uncle, what is it you mean?"
"Hist, lass" replied her uncle, low
ering his voice and glancing mysteri- |
ously around. "If that craft comes
near the shore tonight we'll put our
hands upon the worst smuggler that
has vexed the sound for many year.
But say nothing to any one at all, else
he will somehow get warning, as he has
so many times before, and then it will
be all up with us again"
Now new expression came into
Ailsa's bright blue eyes, something
which seemed akin to Indignation.
"How can you be so unjust, uncle?'
she exclaimed. "How do you know
that this is true?"
"Hoot toot, lassie," spoke the old
ScOtchman, angrily "Any one would
think We held the rascals among your
friends, sin We stan up for him so
strongly. But how he be ither than
the guilty party9 Does not the SNUG
Cling 90 on between the coasts con-
stantly, and is not that witch craft OF
his ever afloat on the sound, and never
seemingly with any honest business of
its own? Tell me, how can we explain
a that?"
at may be some American gentle
mans yacht" suggested Ailsa.
"Then why wouldn't the craft ever
come into harbor, and in the day
time, instead of skulking about and
only edging up to the coast at nightP
No, no; he's ma honest, l warrant,
and tonight, if we're lucky, We'll
prove it. He's slipped through our net
more than once, but don't think he
will tonight"
And, with a portentious shake of the
hand, Captain Macfarlane took the
glass from his niece and entered the
house.
Shortly afterward he emerged again
and took the way to the stables, and n
few moments later Ailsa saw him drive
rapidly away to Victoria.
And now pretty blue-eyed Ailsa did
several strange things First of all she
flew upstairs to her uncle's room, from
which she shortly afterward emerged
with roll of brilliantly hued bunting
in hn IN
dark little passage and staircase which
led up to the tower" A few moments
afterward, had any one been looking.
they might have noticed strangely
figured square of bunting rise slowly to
the top of the flagstaff which sur
mounted the "tOwer." But no one
seemed to remark the fact, not even
Ailsa herself, who, leaning out of the
round window, with her uncle's glass
again in her hand, seemed to be watch
ing once more for the little white-sailed
craft still visible far down the sound.
A moment silently passed, and then, as
she saw a bright spot of red shoot to
the masthead of the distant sloop, a
joyous exclamation left her lips, and
she closed the telescope, and swiftly
but carefully drew down the flag.
Could it be that thus, from an in.
mate of his own household, Duncan
Macfarlane's intended prey was to re-
ceive the warning which should save
him and balk the worthy captain once
againp
Darkness had settled down over tn,
shores of the sea, and about the Mac
farlane cottage every thing seemed
sunk in the peaceful calm of night. TIL,
captain, indeed, was absent, and Ais;
could readily guess upon what errand
The servants had retired to their owl
rooms. and their young mistress, there
fore, had the whole front of he hous
to herself. Perhaps she was lonesome
and if so it may have been this whicl
caused her to prefer the murmur of tn
waves and the companionship of tn
stars to the loneliness of the drawing
room. At all events she had deserte
} the latter for her old position upon tn
steps of the porch, where, wrapped onl
: in light, fleecy shawl, for the nigh
was warm and pleasant, she sat alon
with her thoughts.
, Though the sky was clear and III
clouded, there was no moon, and tn
= sound, as it lay before her, was but
= broad waste of darkness, upon the SUI
= face of which it was impossible to di
cover any object, Ailsa, as she S,
= upon the steps, tried to convince herse
e that she was pleased that her warnin
of the afternoon had been effectual, bl
nevertheless she caught herself lookin
! wistfully out into the darkness, searcl
= ing for something, she scarcely kue
what. Once she half rose from her Sc
n with a sudden start, for it seemed for
J, moment as if, far away in the darkness
there doomed something dimly viii
b, and ghost,y, like the wrath of pas
n ing ship. But the faEcy faded as quick
- as it had com and once more she /
" sumed her silent musing.